A Survey on the Heavy Metal Contents of Water and Rice in the Jeon-buk Area of Korea

  • Kim, Jong-Gyu (Department of Public Health, Keimyung University) ;
  • Lee, In-kyu (Department of Dental Laboratory, Wonkang Health Science College)
  • Published : 2005.06.03

Abstract

This study was performed to investigate the levels of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in water and rice samples taken from five sites on a stream used for agricultural water in the Jeon-buk area, Korea. The water samples were collected by the recommendation methods of the World Health Organization, and rice samples were randomly selected from the paddy rice. The water and rice samples were analyzed by the recommendation methods of Food Code of Korea and using ICP. Although there was variation between sampling sites, the levels of the metals of rice were on average much higher than those of water. The ratios of metal levels of rice to water were: Cd 8.0${\sim}$35.4; Cu 2.2${\sim}$7.2; Pb 5.9${\sim}$18.3; and Zn 10.6${\sim}$75,7. These results indicate that there was transfer of the metals from the water to the rice, This study also suggests that there might be another pathways for the transfer of the metals to the rice.

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